" A mother's arms are more comforting than anyone else's."

—Princess Diana

(Several Months Later: Rouen, France, 10:00 AM)

Elder Carol Danvers spent her days working along with the residents and helping them doing the household chores. Her daily routine was very constant, but she felt contented and fulfilled.

One time, she began teaching the Kree-Lizard boy in how to read and write. At first, he had a difficult time in learning which he complained and told her he knew how to count and tell the day or month. Carol never gave up in helping him, which the boy had no choice, but to deal with it. He started reading in simple alphabet and picture words. The hybrid was able to cope up as he tried remembering what he learned for the day.

Having difficulties, he was still trying his best to learn how to read and mention words from those pictures and books he had. The half-Kree woman remained encouraging and teaching him which it took several days for him to pull through. Despite of many mistakes he had, she continued correcting him to practice further. The boy started to read aloud word for word and practice his prounciation.

Aside from reading, he also learned to write. Carol gave him few pieces of paper and a pen. The boy scratched his head as he had no idea of doing it. The elderly woman thought him how to use a pen and a paper as he began scribbling irregular lines and circles. She was very curious in what he was doing. Then, she began raising her eyebrows, and facepalmed. The boy got terrified looking at her stern expression. Just like reading, the half-Kree woman endured her time every morning in teaching him how to write. It all began drawing straight lines, curves, dashes, dots, and slashes.

Everyday, the boy gradually kept practicing writing letters, words, phrases and sentences. Then, he started copying the words from the books. It took several days, weeks, and months for him to write on his own. Until that day, Carol noticed a piece of paper from him and read it. The Kree-Lizard boy's handwriting was more improving than before.

" This is I really want to do! I know how to write and read! I can go a lot of places and express everything from my mind. Anytime soon, I will be free from 682's bondage by learning more! Thank you Carol for teaching me! "

Carol smiled and silently wept in tears after reading it. She placed the letter on the table as the boy entered the room. He was very looking forward to learn more from her.

" Good morning, Carol, " he greeted and asked. " Is there anything in store for me? "

" I'm so glad you have improved! " she hugged him. " Well, it took several days into months to practice very well! Anyway, I just read your letter. Of course, I appreciate how you have been able to learn from me. "

The boy blushed harder at his mother-figure and mentor as he hugged her back. From that compliment, he got inspired to learn more.

" That letter is really meant for you, " he replied. " At first, it was very hard to do these, but I realize reading and writing can help me to get to know the world. Thanks to you! "

" You're welcome! I'm very happy for you! " Carol wept for joy, rubbed her eyes, and changed the topic. " Anyway, I have something for you. The Englishman, Mr. Greene suggested me to let you read another book from his grandchildren. I talked with him yesterday as he found you learning how to read and write. "

" Oh, yes! It's him, " the hybrid snapped his fingers and asked. " What is it? "

" The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss. "

The elderly half-Kree woman presented the small book showing a cat wearing a hat with red and white stripes. The boy widened his eyes in awe as he was interested to hold and read the book. Despite of his monstrous appearance, he had a child-like wonder noticeable on his face.

" Wow! This is cool, Carol! " he happily exclaimed. " I want to read it! Please! Please! "

" Mr. Greene said the book is already yours now, " she smiled and handed it him.

" Thank you, Carol! This is really wonderful! I'm going to start reading it! "

" Kid, you should thank him, not me! He likes to see and hear you have been improving. "

" I'm going to tell him how glad I am to have this book. I want to read more afterwards. "

" But don't forget to help me and anyone to do some chores later. Okay? "

" I will! "

" Let's go to the porch and you start reading. "

The hybrid nodded as he followed his mother-figure and mentor. They went outside and sat down on the chair. The boy opened the book and began reading the storybook aloud. Carol was pleased in listening to her son as she smiled to hear his improvement. It took more pages and time for him to read. The boy had understood the story of two children in the house and a weird cat who came to visit them with a giant box. Finally, the boy was on the last few pages of the book as he continued.

" and THEN! Who was back in the house? Why, the cat!

'have no fear of this mess,' said the cat in the hat.

'I always pick up all my playthings andso... I will show you another good trick that I know!'

Then we saw him pick up all the things that were down.He picked up the cake, and the rake,

and the gown, and the milk,

and the gown, and the milk,and the strings, and the books, and the dish,

and the fan,and the cup, and the ship, and the fish.

And he put them away.

Then he said, 'that is that.'

And then he was gone with a tip of his hat.

Then our mother came in and she said to us two,'did you have any fun?Tell me. what did you do?'

and Sally and I did not know what to say.

Should we tell her the things that went on there that day?

Should we tell her about it? Now, what SHOULD we do?

Well... what would YOU do if your mother asked YOU? "

" Well, that was an open-ended question, Kid, " the elderly blonde woman commented and asked. " Got any answersfor that one? "

" I think Sally and Conrad should not keep any secrets from their mother. Even they did something inside the house, they should tell the truth. "

" That's a great answer, " she gently patted his back. " There's nothing wrong in telling the truth, even you did something good or bad. At least, you know what's right from wrong. Even it's a terrible mistake, you just need to admit it and learn to change. "

" I do want to change someday. It's just that it's too slow to see the clear picture. "

" Don't worry, you will get through. The most important thing is your learn a lot everyday. It takes time. "

" I'll do my best to do it, " he determinedly spoke.

" That's good. Okay, I'll give you more books to read and then I'm going to teach you more. "

" Thank you. "

" You're welcome! "

After his learning sessions, Carol and the Kree-Lizard hybrid were both tasked to prepare lunch for the residents and themselves. The two took the ingredients from the box given to the rebel forces. They had potatoes, onions, carrots, bell peppers, large slices of beef, five cans of tomato sauce, and some spices.

The mother and son prepared the ingredients and kitchen tools when they began cooking. They spent minutes into hours to finish working the meal. Carol began to blurt out some jokes. The boy was laughing while stirring the beef stew in the pot. A middle-aged blue-skinned woman named Marie entered inside the kitchen as they waited for the meal.

" Avez-vous tous fini de cuisiner, madame, monsieur? (Are you all done cooking?) " a French speaking Kree lady curiously asked. " Pierre, Margot et moi avons mis la table pour tout le monde. Je pense que je peux vous aider avec ce ragoût de boeuf. (Pierre, Margot, and I have set the table for everybody. I think I can help you out with that beef stew.) "

" Oui, le ragoût est prêt! Ce garçon doit faire des tests de goût avant que nous puissions vous le donner. (Yeah, the stew's ready! This boy has to do some taste testing, first before we can give it to you.) " Carol replied while looking at the pot.

" Bien sûr, je vais attendre! (Sure, I'll wait!) " Marie nodded.

Carol noticed the stew was ready to be served and turned to the boy. He looked at his mother-figure as he understood. She gave him an extra spoon to taste it. The boy took a sample as he tasted it. Marie looked at them as she got curious.

" So, what's do you think, monsieur sous-chef? " the half-Kree woman asked.

" The stew is very adequate: not too spicy nor salty, " the hybrid replied and smiled. " Marie and the other residents will like it very much! It's ready. "

" They surely do, " Carol gently patted his back and gave him an approval gesture. Then, she turned to Marie and said, " C'est prêt à servir! Bon appétit! (It's ready to serve! Enjoy your meal!) "

" Oui, merci beaucoup, madame Danvers! (Yes, thank you very much, Madam Danvers.) " she smiled.

" Vous êtes les bienvenus! (You're welcome!) "

The three Kree people carried the large pot from the kitchen to the dining room as they started serving. The residents were pleased to smell the enticing aroma of the meal. They began tasting and eating it as the mother and son enjoyed seeing them. The residents were happy to eat the beef stew which they had prepared. They all appreciated the meal as the others wanted to have a second serving. Carol and the other half-Kree waited for them to finish eating.

Finally, it was their turn after the other residents had eaten while the others spent washing the dishes. The two enjoyed eating the remaining beef stew. Carol took an extra slice of baguette to share.

" I can see what your future is, " she said.

" Becoming a chef? " the boy chuckled. " Even I look like the horrible one. "

" Well, you mentioned you learned cooking from your late girlfriend before. It's just I can see your potential from that talent you have. "

" If only, Allen, Karena, and Jared were here to taste and eat my cooking, then they would have been happy too. "

" Of course, they will, Kid. They will be happier to see and hear about your improvement. "

" Thanks to you, my life could have been better these days. But still, it's hard to overcome those pain from my bondage. "

" It takes time, Kid. You will pull through, " Carol smiled and held his hands.

" By the way, is it our turn to wash the clothes this afternoon? " he reminded. " Madame Benoit did her turn last week. "

" Right. We'll just do this after we eat. "

Thirty minutes later, they went to the yard, gathered all the clothes from the residents, and began washing. The two spent scrubbing using the soap and detergent in separate tubs. It took more time to spend removing all the dirt and discoloration from the clothes. Carol was finished washing as she gripped and squeezed out the water. Then, she placed all the wet clothes to the side by side pole to let them dry under the sun.

On the other hand, the Kree-Lizard boy was still scrubbing the clothes and sneezing from the soap suds and bubbles when Carol laughed at him. He got embarrassed for that manner.

" Oh, I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to..." he said.

" That's why I used washing machine when I do that. Sometimes, I sneeze at the soap suds and bubbles when I do manual washing, " she replied.

" You do? "

" Don't worry, you'll get used to it. "

" Okay. "

It was late in the afternoon when the mother and son finished washing all the clothes. They were all placed on the side by side pole as they entered into the mansion. For them, it was a very tiring and productive day they had.

(The Next Day)

After the mother and son had their learning sessions, they decided to clean a large room which Mr. Greene suggested last night. It was dusty and abandoned where it could be a potential reading room or library where the most people could read.

The two took their cleaning materials: brooms, buckets, mops, cloth, garbage cans, and feather dusters. They covered their noses and mouths with a face mask to protect from dusts. Carol had planned in how to start cleaning as her hybrid son agreed and followed her instructions.

The elder half-Kree hovered and began dusting the chandelier. On the other hand, the boy began sweeping the floor from the falling dusts. Afterwards, they went mopping the floor to be more clean and shiny. They left the room as they removed the masks. A bald Englishman in his nineties approached to them. He was holding a cane and meeting up the two.

" Mr. Greene, Glad to see you this morning, " Carol smiled.

" Likewise, Miss Danvers, " Greene replied with his posh and refined accent. " So, this lad has been helping you cleaning the room I suggested last night. "

" I need an extra manpower to do some spic and span. Then, we need to transfer all the books and bookshelves from the attic to here. "

" Splendid! " he beamed and clapped his both hands. " I can't wait for everyone to see reading all the books. Although we are experiencing such skirmish from our enemies, at least we make things in the bright side! "

" Yeah, we're both making this possible, sir. "

" Mr. Greene, " the hybrid politely broke his silence. " Thank you for that book, you had given me yesterday. I do enjoy reading it. I read it again last night before I slept. "

" I'm glad to hear from you, Lad! Reading is the only way to enlighten our souls and explore all the possibilities. Go on, once the library is established. I'm very certain, you will be the first one to enjoy every page and book you have! By the way, I have more books to share with, later on as I get here. "

" I will, thank you! "

" Not a problem! I'll see you later, Cheerio! " he replied and walked away.

" Surely, Mr. Greene is a very generous man, " the hybrid boy said to his mother-figure.

" He was a schoolteacher and a librarian in London before the Kree-Lizard legion arrived. When he sees kids in the mansion, he never stops teaching them. Speaking of that, he encouraged me to teach you, since he told me everything about your nightmares. The old man is very concerned of you ever since you rescued him ten months ago before I came here. Despite of you being another 682, he really wants you to immerse yourself in human life and culture. "

" I see, " the boy nodded. " The mad monster despises humanity and thinks people are foolish and disgusting. For me, I really appreciate every people I have met in my journey. Now, he wants me to be a normal person. Someday, I want to be just like Mr. Greene. "

" Well, as a teacher? "

" No, I admire his kindness and concern, " he slightly smiled. " I want to have that trait from him. "

" You will be, Kid. Definitely, you could be like him. "

" Right. "

" So, let's get back to work, then. "

The Kree-Lizard boy and his mother figure took the all books from the attic one by one, including the wooden bookshelves. It took minutes to hours for them to transfer them into the new library. Finally, they finished their work as the residents were happy to enter. The books were properly placed and organized. The mixed beings enjoyed reading as Carol and her companion were pleased to see them.

Later on, they received and carried a box from the rebel forces. The two were carefully walking into the mansion. The boy was very curious what's inside the package when Carol noticed him.

" Kid, just don't stare the package, " she sternly reminded. " We need to get moving. "

" But I was wondering what's inside, " he replied.

" Fragile items. "

" You mean they're breakable? "

" Yeah, I'm glad you already know. "

" Are we going to open it? "

" Not yet, " she replied.

The two entered into the mansion as the Dog Faunus man opened the door for them. They got themselves into the other room which it served as a storage for supplies and items they received from the rebel forces. Carol and her son carefully brought the package down. She opened it and saw some glass bottles and expensive dinnerware as she sighed.

" Great Pama! I thought they're weapons or medicines, " she facepalmed in dismay. " Seriously?! "

" Perhaps, they can be useful just in case we lose those things, " he answered.

" Right in case of broken utensils, glasses, and plates. "

" Is there anything else? "

" Well, there is a letter, " she answered and took it from the bottle. " Can you read it for me? "

" Sure, " he nodded, took the paper, and read. The elderly woman paid attention to the letter.

" Carol,

The tensions against the Kree-Lizard legion are becoming worse than in the past several decades. The tyrant named Kasius had decided to have a slave-den and a tournament arena. Our sources spied at his lair in New York and found this ten months ago before you got transferred to France. They're taking all the enhanced beings for a slave trade. If you're living with them, please warn them as much as possible. We'll keep you updated.

- Maria Hill. "

" Carol, are you going to tell anyone? " he asked.

" Yes, this is warning for all of us, " she seriously answered. " We'll discuss everything after dinnertime. "

" Okay. "

After dinner and discussing for the future plans, the two headed into the room and began stargazing at the balcony. The Kree-Lizard hybrid boy counted the stars on the sky as Carol was listening to him.

" I have counted more than a hundred stars, " he happily exclaimed.

" Wow, that's good to hear! You learned counting from Mar-Vell, right? " she asked.

" Yes, I like counting too, but there is a bright yellow star which I see every night. What do you call it? "

" That's Arcturus in the Boötes constellation. It's yellow to see in our skies, but in space. It's orange. "

" How far is that? "

" It's more than 36 light-years from Earth, Kid. For ordinary people, it's exceedingly far to reach it through spacecraft. "

" I see, " he nodded. " Mar-Vell told me everything about his adventures outside of Earth. Have you ever tried going beyond this world? "

" Well, yeah. As far as I experienced, it was really fun meeting different lifeforms, going to planets and galaxies, and protecting the good and fighting against the bad aliens. "

" That was a very interesting journey you have there. "

" It is true and somehow hard to believe for the others. "

" Why is that? " he asked and got curious from the old woman's statement.

" Well, for ordinary Earth-bound people, they seem space travel is too expensive, impossible, and difficult. Once you learned more about space, you will appreciate the wonders outside our planet, " Carol explained.

" I wish to go there, too. "

" Starting tomorrow morning, you're gonna have some science and Astronomy lessons. You'll get used to it. "

" Cool! "

" Yeah, you'll learn more from it. "

The Kree-Lizard boy smiled and nodded as he got interested to learn more. Suddenly, he thought of something and started composing his words as he remembered something. Carol curiously looked at him.

" Kid, is there something wrong? " she asked.

" Carol, I forgot to tell you something, " he calmly answered. " Speaking of the evil Kree and Lizards, they used someone else in killing Nancy. "

" You told me of that before, Kid. It's a dangerous cyborg, right? Did he ever hunt you before? "

" Yes. "

" So, your life was at stake. Did someone help you tracking him down? "

" Yes, it's the one who called himself Spider-Man. "